It's coming to an end, this year of hard work, deepening friendships, and expanding knowledge. It's like the end of summer camp. You look back on the things you did with a nostalgic fondness out of proportion to the experience. But that's nostalgia.

Tomorrow is the last day of hospital internship; we will close up shop at noon and go to lunch together. I hope it's Indian food, but I'll enjoy it whatever it is.

I have one last written final to take on Monday. I'm not studying. I'm done studying on a schedule. From now on, it's my schedule, and I'm going to study the things that come up in my practice.

In two weeks, I'll trade one summer camp for another. Doe Bay will have its own rhythms I will adjust to. I will need to create a new routine in a new place, but I'm good at that. I want to include hiking, oboe practice, and yoga into my life up there. And I don't see myself leaving the island as frequently as I had previously thought, due to summer surcharges on the ferries and the high price of gas. The motorcycle helps a lot, because it gets 60 mpg and looks darn stylish while it does it.

As the next weeks progress, I will be packing more and more things into storage. It's a consolidation festival. And damn, how can I fit my life into one carload and one motorcycle pack? I mean granted, I have a Subaru Outback, but there is only so much even I can fit in there. And two car trips, at $50 a pop? I'm gonna try to avoid that.

What will I miss? My cats. Waking up to Buck's paw on my face. Coming home to Molly on the stairs, butt in the air, asking for petting. Buck thinking he's invincible, climbing off the roof and ending up whooped and scared under the house. Reactions to catnip and kitty treats. Wet paws on the window, squee squee squee.

Of course I'll miss my friends and my beautiful apartment. I'll miss sunrises and sunsets here. I'll miss the smell of the beach early in the morning.

But this is familiar, this ending of one thing and the beginning of another. Familiar, but not always easy.

A friend said of me: You are a great adventuress with confidence and no fear of the unknown. I am really truly proud of you, Love, Linda.

I'll miss my friends, too.